Shloka 90

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration

Sañjaya’s Report

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत्वा शान्तनवाय राज्ञे द्रोणायाथो सहपुत्राय चैव | शारद्वतायाप्रतिद्वद्धिने च योत्स्याम्यहं राज्यमभीप्समान:

Transliteration

namaskṛtvā śāntanavāya rājñe droṇāyātho sahaputrāya caiva | śāradvatāyāpratidvandvine ca yotsyāmy ahaṃ rājyam abhīpsamānaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Nachdem ich mich vor König Bhīṣma, dem Sohn Śāntanus, vor Droṇa und auch vor dessen Sohn, sowie vor Śāradvata Kṛpa—ohnegleichen im Kampf—verneigt habe, werde ich wahrlich kämpfen, getrieben vom Verlangen, das Königreich zu erlangen.“

Word by Word

• {'namaskṛtvā': 'having saluted, having paid homage', 'śāntanavāya': 'to the son/descendant of Śāntanu (Bhīṣma)', 'rājñe': 'to the king (dative singular)', 'droṇāya': 'to Droṇa (the teacher, commander)', 'atho': 'and then

• moreover', 'sahaputrāya': 'together with (his) son

• to the one accompanied by his son (Aśvatthāman)', 'caiva': 'and indeed

• and also', 'śāradvatāya': 'to Śāradvata (Kṛpa, son of Śaradvat)', 'apratidvandvine': 'to one who has no rival/opponent

• unmatched', 'yotsyāmi': 'I will fight', 'aham': 'I', 'rājyam': 'kingdom, sovereignty', 'abhīpsamānaḥ': 'desiring, seeking to obtain'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma (Śāntanava, son of Śāntanu)
• Śāntanu
• Droṇa
• Aśvatthāman
• Kṛpa (Śāradvata)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral strain of warfare within a shared lineage and teacher-student bonds: one may still perform outward reverence to elders and gurus, yet be propelled by political desire (rājya) into violent conflict—raising questions about dharma, loyalty, and ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, the speaker declares that after saluting the senior Kuru leaders and teachers—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman, and Kṛpa—he will proceed to fight with the aim of securing the kingdom.